Category: Past-Events

The exhibition The Silkworm’s Cocoon by Dubravka Lošić opened in the new NMMU space in Oktogon

On 23 November, the National Museum of Modern Art presented an exhibition titled The Silkworm’s Cocoon by Dubravka Lošić, one of Croatia’s leading contemporary visual artists, in its exceptional new venue within the complex of the First Croatian Savings Bank in Oktogon. After an extensive renovation, this space is poised to become a premier exhibition site in Zagreb. The Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, officially opened the exhibition, underscoring the venue’s cultural significance for Zagreb, Croatia, and beyond. On this occasion, the Croatian Prime Minister noted, among other remarks: “I am delighted that today we are witnessing the addition of yet another cultural landmark in the Lower Town. By allocating this space to the National Museum of Modern Art, the Government is sending a clear message about its commitment to ensuring that the developments in the Upper Town are reflected in the Lower Town as well. This is particularly evident in this beautiful space of the former savings bank in Oktogon, located in the heart of Zagreb. The upcoming renovation will showcase how this space, much like many others we have been restoring in Zagreb after the earthquake, will be revitalised and given a fresh new appearance.”
The Minister of Culture and Media, Nina Obuljen Koržinek, also spoke about the significance of the new space for the National Museum of Modern Art, emotionally describing its opening as an exceptional event and a truly exciting moment. “Having secured spaces for the Croatian Sports Museum, the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art, and the Croatian Museum of History, as well as providing the Croatian Conservation Institute with a space at the Tobacco Factory in Zagreb, and initiating the construction of the second stage of the Croatian National Theatre, which will open next year, we now find ourselves here in another central city location that we have successfully secured for our National Museum of Modern Art. I am pleased that this space is being opened with an exhibition by Dubravka Lošić, not only because she is an artist who continually astonishes us with the power, creativity, and impact of her work, but also because, in a way, her recent experiences reflect the journey of this museum. Sadly, she has lost one studio after another, along with the spaces intended for her exhibitions. Similarly, the National Museum of Modern Art, like many other museums, had to evacuate its collection following the earthquake and begin a restoration process that is both complex and uncertain. I would especially like to commend Branko Franceschi, whose bold initiative – staging an exhibition from the NMMU collection at the Two Palaces museum in Zadar, a space we renovated and opened during our term – demonstrated that the temporary shortage of exhibition spaces in Zagreb does not have to mean that the Croatian cultural community, or the broader public, has to be deprived of access to these remarkable works of Croatian modern art. This was indeed the first time a national institution had stepped outside its own exhibition space and the capital in such a manner, and for that, I must sincerely congratulate him.”
Minister Obuljen Koržinek expressed optimism, hoping to attend more events in fully renovated spaces in the coming months as they open their permanent displays. She shared that this prospect brings her great joy and pride. “At first, we were at a loss, uncertain about how to approach the restoration, and now, in Zagreb alone, we are restoring 15 museums, both municipal and state-owned. We have turned this major catastrophe, which affected us all, into an opportunity to provide Croatia, the capital, and other regions with truly representative, renovated, and modern cultural spaces.”
Referring to the selection of the first exhibition at Oktogon, which, upon completion of its restoration, will span almost 3,000 square metres, Branko Franceschi, the Director of the National Museum of Modern Art, highlighted the symbolism between the exhibition’s title and the role of the NMMU in Croatia’s cultural life. “The symbolism of the silkworm’s cocoon, representing transformation, which we have chosen as the theme for this exhibition in this space, aligns perfectly with what is unfolding here. We are now in a position to become the leading museum butterfly in Zagreb, Croatia, and beyond. The optimistic expectation is that this could happen by the end of 2025. After two years’ absence, we are excited to organise exhibitions in Zagreb again, to reconnect with the Zagreb audience, and we hope they are eager to welcome us back. For now, we are touring Croatia, pragmatically demonstrating that the name change to the National Museum of Modern Art is meaningful, not only in terms of its impact but also its reach.”
“Dubravka Lošić’s exhibition” the director of the NMMU further noted, “was planned three years ago and was originally intended to take place at the museum’s seat in the Vranyczany-Dobrinović Palace. However, due to the ongoing renovation of the palace, this was not possible, so the exhibition was instead set up in Split, in collaboration with colleagues from the Museum of Fine Arts, which is typically known as a White Cube exhibition space. I first saw these works in Dubravka’s studio in Dubrovnik, which was in a state of disrepair, but she revitalised it with her creativity. She then moved into a similar space in Blato on the island of Korčula, which she also restored. As an interesting note, she filled the storage area of a factory, which at its height employed 120 women, with works she created by hand. This is not a retrospective of her work; this exhibition focuses on just one aspect of her artistic output, which spans 40 years of her career. I suggested naming it the silkworm’s cocoon, as the tradition of silkworm farming still exists in Konavle, the region where Dubravka Lošić lives and works. This is also because the works, made from textiles, are tied to the tradition of her family, which ran a manufacturing business.”

Translated by: Robertina Tomić

Images:
(1-10) Opening of the new exhibition space Oktogon NMMU and The Silkworm’s Cocoon exhibition by Dubravka Lošić / Photo: National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb Goran Vranić
(11 - 12) Opening of the new exhibition space Oktogon NMMU and The Silkworm’s Cocoon exhibition by Dubravka Lošić / Photo: Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia

Artist Milo Sakač for NMMU on the occasion of his exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery

NMMU: Could you share some details about the works from the Nessuno torna indietro cycle, 2023–2024, that you are presenting at the Josip Račić Gallery?
Milo Sakač: The works on display, created in 2023–2024, are remakes of pieces from around ten years ago, employing similar techniques and materials, though with an evolution in both expression and style. During that time, I wasn’t financially able to purchase canvases and acrylic paints in the quantities I required. I improvised because ‘Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse.’ It’s hard for me to explain what I do and why, as I never have a clear concept, study, or sketches for what will unfold on the canvas. I reflected on that period and embarked on an adventure with some good house music. Given the gallery space, I chose a vertical format, which provides a certain monumentality, and it turned out to be the right decision. I have been living and working in Omiš for a year now (overseeing the construction of our house and studio in Gata, located in an olive grove). My studio there is improvised, and the conditions are not quite the same as in my Zagreb studio. In the mornings, I’m at the construction site, and in the afternoons, sometimes until late at night, I’m in the studio. Given the circumstances, I “managed somehow.” I used construction paper to cover the floors, stretched over several connected canvases, and worked with paints typically used in construction and household applications. The reduction of colour is my “comfort zone”; I always enjoy the process when I’m in the “workshop,” and the results began to take shape. With excitement and good house music, I was driven to continue. About 30 works were created, and Mr. Franceschi, with a little help from me, chose some to be presented at Račić. My initial idea was to present the works by mounting them on MDF and framing them, as the National Museum of Modern Art is the foremost institution for modern art, and I felt it would be fitting to present them in a more ‘formal’ way for the first time. However, Mr. Franceschi insisted on retaining the rawness of the works, as he aptly stated in the introduction: ‘It seems as though he is systematically engaging in a form of self-imposed penance or scrutiny, focusing expressive potential into a single, yet deeply charged achromatic event, where the gesture leaves a (black) mark on a (white) surface.’ ‘It is so sexy,’ he concluded. I had nothing to add.
NMMU: Your father was a builder, yet you chose not to follow in his footsteps and instead opted to study architecture?
Milo Sakač: My father brought me up to be a builder, and I worked my way through all the roles on the construction site – labourer, bricklayer, carpenter, steel fixer, plasterer, and tiler. This hands-on experience taught me how to design the buildings I have constructed throughout my career, with a deep understanding of all the tasks, processes, technologies, and materials involved. And there have been many—over two hundred completed projects. Before working on the hotel project in Lendava in the early 1990s, I often argued with my father about the quality and completion of projects. He had a deep disdain for architects, as they would typically give him projects that were only 80% finished, leaving the rest to be completed “on the go,” usually on-site, all while dealing with the architects’ arrogant, “godlike” attitude. After the hotel project, he shook my hand and said, “Now you’ve truly grown as an architect, now you have my respect,” because I had prepared EVERYTHING for him at the construction site.
NMMU: You are a versatile artist, having created stage designs and posters, as well as engaging in photography and modern dance. What inspired your passion for dance?
Milo Sakač: Music has always been, and still is, my unique ‘drive.’ I now paint to loud house music, which has a beautiful rhythm, much like jazz and classical music. Music serves as the ‘drive’ that encourages the body to move.
NMMU: What do you remember most from your student days?
Milo Sakač: The vibrant energy, the heyday of Zagreb’s club scene, especially jazz, working as a music editor at Radio 101, dancing, designing sets, and everything I discovered as an inquisitive provincial in the Big City. My days always felt too short; I followed a sleep schedule of three to four hours at night and half an hour during the day. Without false modesty, I navigated my architecture studies with ease and completed them on schedule.
NMMU: Which architect had the most influence on you during your studies?
Milo Sakač: I was deeply drawn to classical architecture and Art Nouveau, particularly Andrea Palladio, Otto Wagner, and our own Viktor Kovačić.
NMMU: Do you remember when you earned your first money and what you spent it on?
Milo Sakač: I earned my first money at the age of five, helping my father’s worker, Joši, with the cement mixer on a construction site. I don’t recall what I spent the five dinars on, but I treated them like a precious treasure.
NMMU: What has been the most challenging task in your professional career, and which project are you most proud of?
Milo Sakač: The most challenging task was breaking into the Viennese art scene and holding my first solo exhibition in 2017. The most demanding task, however, was choosing and preparing works for the exhibition at the Račić Gallery, as it marked the ultimate recognition in ‘my own city.’ This is something I am incredibly proud of, and I am very grateful to Mr. Franceschi for that.
NMMU: When you’re painting, do you think like an architect?
Milo Sakač: Actually, when I paint, I don’t think at all. I’m guided by a deep instinct that, I suppose, encapsulates all the experiences I’ve had over the past 60 years.
NMMU: Who are the buyers of your work?
Milo Sakač: The buyers of my work come from various professions.
NMMU: Which city are you most professionally connected to?
Milo Sakač: I have strong professional ties to three cities: Vienna, where I lived for two years and had a studio – a period that was crucial for my development as a painter – the city, with its deep architectural heritage, holds painting in high regard, and architects are greatly valued there. Vienna is also one of the world’s leading art capitals, including in the field of painting. In Vienna, it’s your work that counts, not your title; ‘your work represents you,’ which, in my experience, was almost an ‘impossible mission’ here until the exhibition at the Račić Gallery.
I lived and worked in the 2nd district, which alongside the 20th, is an epicentre of art – painters, sculptors, poets, musicians, dancers – all of whom live and create there.
Then there’s Zagreb, where my main studio is, and where I’ve spent most of my working life. It’s also where I have the largest following. Finally, there’s Omiš, where I had a studio and gallery for years at Fošal, in a garden, and where we are currently building a new studio in an olive grove in Gata, in the heart of Poljica.

Interviewed by: Lana Šetka
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Reproduction: Milo Sakač and the Director of the National Museum of Modern Art and curator of the exhibition, Branko Franceschi, at the opening of the artist’s exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery. Photo by: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Artist Nina Atević Murtić for NMMU on the occasion of her exhibition Dance of the Hand at the Josip Račić Gallery

NMMA: What can you tell us about your latest series currently on display at the Josip Račić Gallery?
Nina Atević Murtić: The series currently on display is a spontaneous reaction to the themes I have previously dealt with. I have maintained a focus on movement across a pure surface. In my previous work, I delved into achromatic relationships, using indigo pigment as a non-colour, which allowed me to explore countless tonal nuances and glazes. I am drawn to pure abstraction within minimal narrative interventions, as well as the physiognomy of motion and movement. I replaced the intuitive movements within the hermetic aspect of a white surface with colour, examining it through frequency and physiognomy. Thus, colour became a narrative that accompanied gesture and provided context for subsequent events. I was curious about their relationship, how they influence one another, and how they emphasise and shape each other. My focus has remained on the dynamics between colour and form. These relationships parallel all occurrences surrounding us in the sensory and material world, both external and internal, personal and public.

NMMA: How do the colours in your paintings differ from those you choose for your attire or interior design?
Nina Atević Murtić: I have never associated the events on the canvas with the aesthetics of design or fashion, nor with any specific style. That is not the gamut that surrounds me. The colours are formed directly on the canvas through layered applications and explorations.

NMMA: Do you experience colours when listening to music? Which music would best reflect your painting?
Nina Atević Murtić: The music that relaxes me is the kind that happens at the right moment, that is experienced fully and authentically. I must confess that I have a fondness for classical music, which offers a broad spectrum of themes and performances. I love listening to music that is felt more than it is heard. John Cage was particularly adept at this. Kandinsky examined the relationship between music and colour, aiming to capture it on canvas. While I haven’t engaged in that myself, there are certainly times when music is recognised and deeply felt. Synaesthesia is a neurological phenomenon that connects the senses, which is why some individuals can visualise sounds, taste words, or see colours associated with specific numbers, letters, or tones… In this manner, sounds are experienced as colours. Each harmony possesses its own unique colour, just as each instrument does. Some composers are renowned for their synesthetic experiences.

NMMA: What type of music helps you relax, and which do you find irritating?
Nina Atević Murtić: The music that relaxes me varies with my mood, and I cannot say what irritates me since I consciously avoid it.

NMMA: What memories do you have of Heruc, where you collaborated with Goran Lelas as artistic director?
Nina Atević Murtić: I have fond memories of collaborating with Goran Lelas, especially during our time at Heruc. He was an extraordinary person, immensely talented and imaginative. Everything we worked on together was smooth and enjoyable. We complemented each other well, both as creatives and as people. We would draw together, brainstorm collections, have fun, and swap ideas. His style was playful, and I would later transform that into reality, giving form to all those wonderful drawings in the real world and adjusting them to the project and its possibilities.

NMMA: You’ve taken part in costume design projects. Which did you find the most challenging, and why? Which costume designer do you hold in high regard?
Nina Atević Murtić: Collaborating on costume design projects was filled with our creative and artistic moments. I was not involved in the operational aspects. We spent a considerable amount of time together, imagining how to bring our visions to life. His imagination and playfulness were limitless. We worked on productions by Paolo Magelli, Saša Broz, and Vanja Matujec, with the notably large and challenging “Aida” by Krešimir Dolenčić, a co-production with the Shanghai Opera and the New Jersey Opera. Goran’s fairytale for children and adults, as well as the later production Somewhere City, provided an endless source of inspiration and a delightful blend of curiosity, joy, and creativity.

NMMA: What is your favourite piece by Edo Murtić?
Nina Atević Murtić: My favourite piece by Edo Murtić is the one that adorns my wall. I appreciate his pen drawings, where he demonstrated both ease and virtuosity, often singing and joking while he worked. It was a pleasure to see him in the creative process and having fun. His various styles make it truly hard to pinpoint a single favourite from the many remarkable paintings. I would say I have many favourites.

NMMA: Do you often talk about art with your mother-in-law, the painter Goranka Vrus Murtić?
Nina Atević Murtić: I frequently discuss art with Goranka. She is highly perceptive to anything that provokes or unsettles her in any way. Our conversations cover a wide range of topics; while they don’t always revolve around art, they often lead back to it. She has experienced life through both her own art and her husband’s, and she has been part of an era defined by different ideals and experiences. In fact, we have a lot in common.

NMMA: You spend your summers in Palmižana, would you say your best ideas are born there?
Nina Atević Murtić: I wouldn’t say that my artistic ideas are specifically associated with my time in Palmižana, but it has had a profoundly formative effect on me. It was there that I discovered and experienced a complete freedom in appreciating beauty in every form. I grew up spending summers in an environment without electricity or water, immersed in an arboretum of indescribable beauty. Dagmar Meneghello shaped the environment and atmosphere, surrounding herself with wonderful people, particularly artists. Her incredible passion and love for art and her connections with artists are remarkable. Today, she possesses an astonishing collection of artworks and memories.

NMMA: Are there any other mediums in which you would like to express yourself?
Nina Atević Murtić: Absolutely. I am always creating and imagining new concepts. I have a plethora of conceptual ideas and planned works, but they necessitate a different structure and methodology. Unfinished and unexpressed concepts are always on my mind, but my interaction in the studio with canvas or any other two-dimensional form is what I find most accessible and enjoyable. Sculpture is also something I’ve been giving serious thought to. I may be preparing for a major leap forward.

Interviewed by: Lana Šetka © National Museum of Modern Art Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art Zagreb

Promotion of the “Nine Views 20+” book dedicated to visual artist Dawor Preis

On the occasion of marking three decades since the installation of Ivan Kožarić’s sculpture “Grounded Sun” in Bogovićeva Street, Zagreb, and two decades since the installation of the Nine Views project by Dawor Preis, the National Museum of Modern Art has published a book titled Nine Views 20+. In collaboration with the Cultural Information Centre (KIC), the book will be presented on 18 September at 7 p.m. at KIC Cinema, Preradovićeva 5, Zagreb. In addition to Branko Franceschi, Director of the National Museum of Modern Art, the project will be discussed by NMMU museum consultant Željko Marciuš, and art historians Vanja Babić and Saša Pavković, who have followed the project since its installation.

Dawor Preis took advantage of the iconic position of Kožarić’s sculpture in Bogovićeva Street to recreate the entire Solar System in Zagreb, scaled down proportionately with the correct distances between the planets. Unlike the vandalism of graffiti that has marred Kožarić’s sculpture since its installation, Preis referenced it in an inventive, non-invasive, and enduring manner. Organised by the Josip Račić Gallery – part of the National Museum of Modern Art – the artist executed an urban intervention, by positioning the nine planets of the Solar System across the city. Back then, Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun, was installed on the façade of the Josip Račić Gallery.

The locations of the other planets were not publicly advertised at the time, leaving the residents of Zagreb to discover them on their own, thus gradually raising awareness of the entire project. Originally, the project was accompanied by a catalogue featuring nine texts by contemporary art experts – Vanja Babić, Željko Marciuš, Borivoj Popovčak, Olga Majcen, Leila Topić, Iva Körbler, Martina Matić, Saša Pavković, and Ivica Dlesk – which have also been published in the current edition. In the meantime, thanks to the website structured and designed by Dawor Preis, the project has become a global sensation, developed a highly active online forum, and has organically become one of Zagreb’s tourist attractions.

Alongside photographic and archival documentation of the project and its online version, the book offers a new theoretical perspective on the project and its implications for the broader cultural and civilisational context of Zagreb’s central pedestrian zone, as well as society’s relationship with public monuments. The new texts are written by Branko Franceschi, Director of the National Museum of Modern Art and editor of the publication, as well as art historians Željko Marciuš, NMMU museum consultant, and Vanja Babić, Head of the MH Gallery. The book is designed by Ana Zubić, and the project was made possible with support from the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb.

(...) Davor Preis has integrated the Solar System and its organic circular motion into the orthogonal, poorly functional grid of Zagreb’s microcosm as a reminder of our stellar origins, potentials, and responsibilities. Through astute use of the Internet, his project has achieved planetary acclaim, becoming a spontaneous attraction and a destination for visitors unlike any deliberately targeted and generously funded “tourist product.” More significantly, Preis’s installation, honouring our cosmic origins and an artist native to it, unites all the capacities, strategies, and trends of the modern creative paradigm, offering hope that the light within us has not yet been extinguished. - from the text of Branko Franceschi

(...) Sunčevim sustavom ostvarenim metodom simbolizacije i apsorpcije Davor Preis dostigao je dio galaksije, stvorivši jednu egzaktnu, a prirodnu čaroliju satkanu istim onim sredstvima kojima je imaginacijski i imaginarno sâm sazdan. To ne treba egzaktno elaborirati jer u protivnom, poput filmske, ambijentalno-skulpturalna prirodna čarolija nestaje. - from the text of Željko Marciuš

(...) The Nine Views installation indisputably embodies a distinctive form of artistic intervention. Primarily, in terms of its expansive footprint, it stands as the largest permanent installation in Croatia, and possibly beyond. It entirely precludes the possibility of being fully comprehended in a single glance; instead, a thorough and extended exploration is required to engage with all nine components, or with Grounded Sun included, ten. Thus, observing any one planet inherently entails an acknowledgment of the presence of the others. And the Sun as well. Otherwise, a particular planet loses its significance and becomes an undefined symbol. However, this will not be the case with the Sun. When standing before it, we can experience it in relation to the scattered planets across the city, while also appreciating the entirely autonomous persuasiveness of Kožarić’s straightforward concept of the Sun – which has now been in place for over half a century – having decided, for some reason, to become grounded. (...) - from the text of Vanja Babić

Image: Book Cover / Graphic Design: Ana Zubić
Translated by: Robertina Tomić

Photographer Damir Širola for NMMA on the occasion of his “Metamorphoses” exhibition in the Josip Račić Gallery

 

NMMA: How would you describe your recent project "Metamorphoses", which you are currently presenting at the solo exhibition of the same name in the Josip Račić Gallery?
Damir Širola: These are photo-collages or montages made with minimal use of digital tools. The first montages were conceived as visual experiments, a kind of visualization of the concept of generating new, surreal compositions from existing photographs. If these initial tests were successful, they are then edited further using digital tools. However, the visible merging of rough prints opened up the idea of rejecting Photoshop's deceptive and manipulative capabilities. We are inundated with images obtained with endless corrections that modern photo processing software offers in abundance and then are massively abused in order to deceive the viewer. I definitely wanted to avoid that and I think I succeeded.

NMMA: When did you take your first photo, what camera did you use and what did you capture?
Damir Širola: If you take into account my age and the fact that I started learning the basics of photography as a member of the Photo Section in elementary school, it is clear that I cannot mark my first enlargement...! At the same time, I remember that we had the opportunity to publish our successful photos on billboards that were all over the school's corridors. We used, at first, the Russian Ljubitelj 2, and then the Czech Flexaret, at least a few of us who still had access to a small studio and photo labs.

NMMA: Where did the love for photography come from?
Damir Širola: My family did not have a camera, but my father developed a fondness for fine machines in my brother and me. I remember very well that I was fascinated by the camera as a technical device, fortunately only in those elementary school days and maybe a couple of years after that. Quite quickly, this "mechanical" fascination became irrelevant and insight into photography magazines became dominant.

NMMA: With whom / where did you learn / about photographic procedures and techniques?
Damir Širola: There was never any direct learning in the form of lessons. Instead, I learned by immersing myself in the yearbooks of Stern magazine, which could be bought in Zagreb. I poured over them until the bindings fell apart. The countless photographs published in these yearbooks ignited my passion for capturing images. I believe that these annuals, along with monographs by important artists, constitute the cornerstone of contemporary photography as an artistic practice.
Then I stumbled upon the exhibition of photographs by Ivan Posavec in the Technical Museum and was completely amazed. Back then, in the mid-seventies, such an exhibition was, in my eyes, a giant step forward from domestic, then Yugoslav production.

NMMA: Is there a theme/motif that never ceases to inspire you and that runs through your entire photographic oeuvre?
Damir Širola: The constant that I consider one of the highlights of photography is the portrait. There are few situations that are as ethereal as the moment of deciding to take a portrait. There is an abundanceof captured portraits, yet very few achieve a true amalgamation of the subject and the photographer.

NMMA: Which of the world-renowned photographers do you particularly admire?
Damir Širola: There are many names that have permanently marked the photographic medium, it is difficult to single out individuals. However, I would certainly start with Jacques Henri Lartigue, then the inevitable Henri Cartier-Bresson, there are also Richard Avedon and Diane Arbus as exceptional portraitists and Edward Weston as a meticulous detailer and aesthete. It is impossible to summarize almost two centuries in a couple of names, so I will mention just one more: Martin Parr, my favourite narrator of modern society today.

NMMA: Analogue or digital photography? Black and white or in colour?
Damir Širola: If possible, analogue, if it makes sense black and white.

NMMA: Photography then and today?
Damir Širola: Modern media neglects the power of photography, the sheer volume and fleeting presence of photos diminish their significance. The dominance of weekly and monthly printed magazines is a relic of the past. he rapid pace at which we record world events leaves no time to cultivate the power of photography.

NMMA: Apart from basic criteria, what do you think makes a great photo?
Damir Širola: There are many genre divisions within photography, making it impossible to establish a single set of criteria for excellence. In life photography it is immediacy and social criticism, in portraiture, it is the moment of connection between the subject and the photographer, in landscape, it is purely artistic criteria, etc.
However, I would argue that photography is the art of capturing a fraction of a second, so if that part of the photography's genome is ultimately visible, then the photograph has succeeded.

NMMA: Whose portrait would you like to shoot?
Damir Širola: For years I have been putting off shooting a duo that helped me a lot in understanding photography, which is the MO group. Vesović and Posavec are great photographers, and taking their portrait is like inviting a famous chef to lunch. But that time will come, soon...

Interviewed by: Lana Šetka © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
From the exhibition "Metamorphoses" by Damir Širola in the Josip Račić Gallery and a photo portrait of the artist (detail) / Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

Nikola Vrljić, The Siege of Oz
Exhibition in collaboration between Božidar Jakac Gallery – Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art from Kostanjevica and National Museum of Modern Art from Zagreb

An exhibition of the contemporary Croatian sculptor Nikola Vrljić entitled The Siege of Oz will be open at the Božidar Jakac Gallery in Kostanjevica on Krka https://www.galerija-bj.si/obcasne-razstave/nikola-vrljic-obleganje-oza-2/ (Slovenia) on 5th July at 7 p.m. The exhibition is realized in collaboration with the National Museum of Modern Art from Zagreb, and the curatorial concept is signed by Branko Franceschi, director of the National Museum of Modern Art. The artist adapted selected sculptures from his recent cycle to the exhibition space of the Božidar Jakac Gallery, a former Gothic church, as he has done so far in spaces of significant historical and aesthetic value.

(...) In his personal confrontation with the canonised ghosts of the historical interweaving of culture, religion and secular power, Vrljić has chosen affordable, synthetic materials for the performance of an authentic sculptural undertaking, thus establishing production self-sufficiency as the ideal response to their constant corruptive encroachment. We should, therefore, immediately join him and enjoy unencumbered the witty virtuosity of his constantly evolving universe.  - Branko Franceschi from the accompanying text of the exhibition

Artist's Biography
Nikola Vrljić (1980) is an artist who creates mainly in the medium of sculpture and drawing. In 2007, he graduated in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. Since 2003, he has exhibited at many solo and group exhibitions, such as Citizens in the Poola Gallery, Pula (2021), Skup in the Antun Augustinčić Gallery, Klanjec (2019) and Fugitives in Gallery Josip Račić, Zagreb (2018). He has been awarded several times in competitions for public sculptures, and he has created ten public monuments. He lives and works in Zagreb.

Image: Nikola Vrljić, The Siege of Oz, 2024 / Photo: Jaka Babnik

Damir Mataušić’s donation to the National Museum of Modern Art

Today, the renowned Croatian sculptor and medallist Damir Mataušić generously donated two of his works to the National Museum of Modern Art. These include the intimate medallic polyptych “Identity” from 2019 and the honorary medal of the XIV Ivo Kerdić Memorial from 2022. Both pieces were exhibited at FIDEM’s international exhibitions of contemporary medals – the first in Tokyo in 2020 and the second in Florence in 2023.
The Museum holdings currently includes, largely thanks to Damir Mataušić, around thirty works by the artist, including a silver medal struck in 2015 on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the former Modern Gallery. This donation significantly enriched the NMMA’s Collection of Medals and Plaques with recent works by Mataušić. Alongside Branko Franceschi, the director of the NMMA, the artist’s donation to the museum was received by the museum consultant and head of the Sculpture Collection and Collection of Medals and Plaques at the NMMA, Tatijana Gareljić.

Damir Mataušić is an artist with over five decades of experience in medallic art, known for his distinctive expression and defined artistic poetics successfully applied across several sculptural disciplines: from medals, coins, ceremonial chains, and honours to small-scale sculptures, reliefs, and public monuments. He created a wide range of sculptures, from intimate to official, public, and sacred, each crafted with profound perception and exceptional dedication to detail. A hallmark of Mataušić’s work is the use of various materials, with polished metals dominating, crafted with technical precision in inventive compositions. The value of his work synthesises historical and cultural heritage while maintaining the dignity of artistic creation. Mataušić’s understated persona equally anticipates complex contemporary artistic challenges, resulting in a distinctive medallic oeuvre that holds a respected position in contemporary Croatian visual arts.

Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Images: Director of NMMA Branko Franceschi, uartist Damir Mataušić, museum consultant Tatijana Gareljić / Photo: from the National Museum of Modern Art's archives, Zagreb, 2024
medallic poliyptich by Damir Mataušić "Identity", 2019 / Photo: Petar Strmečki / Courtesy of the Artist
Damir Mataušić, honorary medal of the XIV Ivo Kerdić Memorial from 2022 / Photo: Petar Strmečki / Courtesy of the Artist

“In Anticipation of the Fiftieth Anniversary” exhibition opened at the Josip Račić Gallery

On 9 May, numerous artists, art historians, and art enthusiasts gathered at the “Josip Račić” Gallery of the National Museum of Modern Art to attend the opening of the exhibition “In Anticipation of the Fiftieth Anniversary”. Next year marks five decades of activity for this small city gallery, which has been operating within the National Museum of Modern Art (formerly the Modern Gallery) since 1992, so the exhibition serves as a precursor to this significant jubilee.
After the director of the National Museum of Modern Art, Branko Franceschi, delivered the introductory address, the exhibition’s concept was presented by Tihana Galić, the curator from NMMA and author of the exhibition, while the painter Vlado Jakelić shared anecdotes from the Gallery’s founding era.
The exhibition and its accompanying documentary materials provided a platform for multimedia artist Ivo Deković and painters Jadranka Fatur, Vlado Jakelić, and Marijana Muljević, among other notable figures on the Croatian art scene who have showcased their work at the Josip Račić Gallery, to reflect on the occasions when their solo exhibitions graced this venue.
Utilizing carefully chosen pieces, primarily sourced from the Museum’s holdings and created by artists featured during this timeframe, this noteworthy exhibition offers a glimpse into a portion of the venue’s artistic legacy. It evokes recollections of past exhibitions and the artists who, through diverse artistic expressions and thematic emphases, contributed to shaping its identity. Additionally, it presents a concise historical narrative of exhibition practices within the Gallery spanning the last fifty years. The limited number of artworks on display primarily stems from constraints imposed by the size of the exhibition space. Nevertheless, it forms a representative sample of the venue’s rich exhibition history.

Among the first to view the works by Zlatko Kauzlarić Atač, Vlado Jakelić, Jadranka Fatur, Marijana Muljević, Ivo Deković, Nicholas Roerich, Đuro Seder, and Stipan Tadić, along with some archival copies of accompanying publications from numerous exhibitions and the documentary film “Jadranka Fatur, Paintings” by Hrvoje Juvančić, filmed in 1987 at the Josip Račić Gallery, were the visual artist Amela Frankl, painters Marijana and Izvor Pende, sculptor Peruško Bogdanić, art historians Krunoslav Kamenov, Dubravka Osrečki Jakelić, Marija and Zdenko Tonković, Guido Quien, Branka Benčić, director of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rijeka, cultural manager Ivan Maruna. The cultural community of Zagreb has the opportunity to view the exhibition until 2 June.

A bilingual catalogue, designed by Ana Zubić, in Croatian and English was published to accompany the exhibition, featuring an essay by art historian Tihana Galić.

Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Reproductions: from the exhibition opening / Photo Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb

The NMMA’s program “Art Under the Stars” on the occasion of 29th Educational Museum Action (EMA)

 

The thematic focal point of the 29th Educational Museum Action (EMA) is the intersection of art and science. The exhibition of Zdravko Milić, on view at the Josip Račić Gallery from 6 to 30 June, will present evocative works by an artist whose oeuvre is characterised by curiosity about themes from science fiction.
The series of paintings titled “Iapetodrome” depicts surreal celestial scenes and encourages contemplation on the mysteries of the cosmos, with a particular focus on Iapetus, one of Saturn’s moons, known for its strikingly contrasting surface features.

As an introductory event related to the aforementioned exhibition, and in connection with this year’s Educational Museum Action by the Croatian Museum Association, Marta Radman, a curator in the Education and Promotion Department of the National Museum of Modern Art conceived the program “Art Under the Stars.”
The NMMA’s program “Art Under the Stars” is realised in collaboration with the Zagreb Observatory, and it consists of a short lecture about Saturn, which will be held on 8 May at 7 p.m. at Opatička 22, by a scientific employee of the Zagreb Observatory. After the lecture, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the view of the celestial expanses through a telescope...
Admission is free!

Reproductions:
(left) 29th EMA Poster
(right) Zdravko Milić’s painting from the series “Iapetodrome,” which the artist will present in June at his eponymous exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery. Photo Zdravko Milić / Courtesy of the artist

Staš Kleindienst in an interwiev for the National Museum of Modern Art

   

NMMA: According to Goran Milovanović, curator of your first solo exhibition at the Josip Račić Gallery in Zagreb, you are one of the most prominent painters in Slovenia. How did your professional journey begin and evolve?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: There is nothing particularly remarkable about it, my interest in visual art has been longstanding, and pursuing studies in that field felt like the most logical path for me. But when you actually start studying, completely new worlds and possibilities, previously unknown to you, begin to open up. This fascination with the unknown persists to this day, and I believe it is crucial for the vocation of an artist.

NMMA: You are presenting ten oil paintings created in the last four years to the cultural audience of Zagreb, at the aforementioned exhibition in the Josip Račić Gallery. This period was marked by the coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns, social distancing... How much time did you spend in nature, and did you connect with it in a deeper way? How much did this global situation influence the creation of your Antiarcadia series?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: The most significant shift in my perception of nature occurred when I relocated from Ljubljana to Vipava in 2019. Previously, my studio was in the basement, offering a view of the neighbouring house façade. In Vipava, however, I was presented with a completely different view of the landscape’s structure, atmospheric effects, ambiance..., which consequently began to appear in my works. To the extent that the atmosphere became the main protagonist of my paintings. The pandemic itself did not have a significant impact on this; I also consciously avoided dealing with themes related to the coronavirus.

NMMA: What distinguishes the perception of the aforementioned landscapes from that of your earlier works?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: My landscapes are always a product of fiction rooted in reality, in memories, emotions, and fleeting glimpses of scenery. As previously noted, the foremost shift lies in the perception of the scene’s atmosphere.

NMMA: How nostalgic are you, and is this reflected in your paintings?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: My paintings are mostly created as a result of reflections on the present time and the world we live in, and I believe there is no room for nostalgia in that. If it does appear in a motif, it is for a very specific purpose.

NMMA: In the foreword of the accompanying exhibition catalogue, the exhibition curator writes that time is a significant category for you? In what sense?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Time is always an intriguing category in painting because it is a static, two-dimensional medium. In my work, I’m primarily interested in the fusion of space and time into one, creating a sort of post-time, a time without time, which allows me to open up the painting to narratives that I couldn’t imagine without that fusion.

NMMA: Apart from painting, have you ever expressed yourself in any other medium?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Yes, I gave up painting towards the end of my studies at the Academy in Ljubljana, and worked, as part of various collectives, on several conceptual art projects related to theory, installations, video. During that time, I also wrote a lot. I later transferred that knowledge and working methodology back into painting.

NMMA: Who are your artistic role models?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: Inspirations often change, but every now and then, names like Edward Hopper, Liu Xiaodong, Nicole Eisenman, Edvard Munch, Verne Dawson come to mind.

NMMA: Are you familiar with the work of the Croatian painter Ljubo Babić and his landscapes, and do you find any connections between them and your own reflections on the same theme?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: No, I must admit that I am not familiar with Ljubo Babić’s work. But I’ll gladly explore his art in the future.

NMMA: Where would you like to present your work one day?

STAŠ KLEINDIENST: I don’t have any particular preferences. Probably where the audience is genuinely interested in art, as that is the main reason for visiting galleries.

Prepared by: Lana Šetka
Translated by: Robertina Tomić
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb